KJo in the Big Blind to a button raise.

[Huh]

$3-$6 game.

I am in the big blind with KJo, and it is folded around to the button, who raises. Button is a very solid-very tight player, who is playing below his limits (this was the only game available).

Flop comes down K92 rainbow. I check with the intention of check raising. Button checks behind me.

Turn is a four putting up a second diamond. I bet, button raises me and then the chatter starts.

"What are you in here with, King-Queen-off?"

I'm pretty sure I'm beaten here. Played with this player a good deal, and when he hits AK on an uncoordinated board, he will often wait until the turn to show strength. His comment made me think he had KQ, and I heavily considered mucking my cards.
I ended up calling him down the rest of the way.

Here are my two questions on the hand.

1) Is this an automatic pre-flop call? I was really hoping the button was on an any-ace steal raise. Typically in this situation I will call with any two cards greater than ten. It did cross my mind to re-raise preflop… Against another player I probably would have.

2) Anyone lay this hand down to the raise. On the turn I was almost certain that the button had KQ or AK, yet I couldn't pull myself away from the hand. Sometimes I wonder why I bother putting people on a hand, when it rarely influences my actions. Anyone re-raise in this situation? If so, is it an auto-fold to a four-bet? (Note : No heads up cap)

Comments appreciated. Results to follow.

Thanks,
Huh?

[J.R.]

Button is a very solid-very tight player

Doesn't sound like he will steal raise with a wide range of hands or be badly outplayed post-flop. I would fold pre-flop and wait for a better spot. I don't think your are giving up much here.

[Allan]

This is definatly at least a preflop call if not a reraise......I don't know about the flop check by your opponent in this situation....It sends off warning signals to me as this should be an automatic bet. I think he flopped 99 and wanted to see if you could catch up if you haven't hit anything. I would think he would bet any K as well as a hand like A9 or A2 and any pair below kings that aren't 99 or 22. If I felt good about my reads and my knowledge of the player I might lay it down but more often than not I would find myself paying off getting to the river cheaply....


Allan

[marbles]

"Button is a very solid-very tight player"
--this sounds contradictory to me. If he's very solid, he shouldn't be all THAT tight in steal situations.

The quick question I would ask myself is, "am I likely to win if a king or jack flops?" If the answer is yes, I'd stick around and bang if necessary. If not, I'd fold preflop, since virtually no flop is good.

[Ed Miller]

If this is a steal-raise, then you 3-bet. If he does not open up his raising requirements in this situation, then you can probably muck preflop. As for whether to continue after the turn raise... you really have to know the player. Many players only raise here if they have you beaten, but others will raise you when they pick up the flush draw.

[Vehn]

I think you're giving up a ton by folding your big blind with KJ versus a button open-raise no matter who the opponent is. I think its a clear 3-bet from the SB as well.

[Ed Miller]

If the raiser is tight and doesn't open his raising standards at all from the button (e.g. AA-JJ and AK) then you are not giving up anything by folding KJo here. I agree with you that in most situations, against most players, I would play this hand... and usually I would 3-bet it here.

[Huh]

Well, I paid off bets until the end and the raiser showed down AK, as expected. The thing that bothered me about this hand was that I hit the flop, and still couldn't feel great about my holding.

-huh?

[Snoman]

I guess I felt that a free card could do very little damage and that maybe you would catch enough to call with. As it turns out I could have perhaps gained an extra small bet had I let you check-raise assuming you would not fold to a raise on the turn. I guess like most things, it depends. As for the original question, I feel at least calling pre-flop is necessary as my standards for open raising from the button are not as stringent,as say, UTG. Hope this helps (but not too much [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Sno